New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-16
VJRCINI1 OPPOSES CLETELANH

VIRGINIA fires the first Shot at President
Cleveland and it is heavy one, well aimed.
ifs Legislature was made Democratic by SUpc-
nor skill in counting and therefore adhc"'
rligiously to the old Democratic idea that the
State has power to instruct senators oi inc
United States, who must resign unless they
arc prepared to obey, and that lis formal lc-
quest has all the moral effect oi
mandate with the Representatives
Of the State. The Virginia House
does not in words condemn President
CIcyclands Message or his proposal regarding
The revenue. But IL does vote almost uhanl-
mously to instruct Virginia Senators and ic-
quest Virginia Representatives, to vote against
each and every feature Of President Cleveland :
MAN. TO vote for the entire abolition OF internal
taxes. which would take of much more revenue
than the resident or Secretary reports the NoN-
eminent can spare, and thus to make II imp"s-
sibic TO reduce at all the revenue derived from
duties on imports.
This is the first fruit Of manufacturing and
mining development in Virginia. and Of the
Republican victory in Congressional districts
last year. and in the popular vote cast for
members of the Legislature this year. Virginia
,empt or indifference the growing sentiment
for protection Of home industries. That State
feels as kccnly as any other that the retention
Of a tax which dcprcsscs the tobacco industry
in order to bring about change OF tarll when
wouid PROSTATE the iron industry, would be
doubly unjust TO Virginia farmers, capitalists
end iron-workcrs Mr. Clcvclands frcc-tIadc
plan is unrcscry eddy condemned, and By acts
which speak louder than any words. IN The
Democratic Legislature OF a Southern Slatc'
Tho practical effect Of this action may be con-
siderable. Kentucky has iron and tobacco III
tcrcsts also, which arc affected in the same
way by the policy Mr. Cleveland proposes.
West Virginia is even more deeply Interested !;
North Carolina and Tennessee would suffer-
and even Alabama would suffer most seriously
if the removal OF duties on iron were to cause
Sudden collapse in the wonderful mining ana
manufacturing developments at the South.
IT, would not be strange If the Legislatures OF
other States should instruct positively against
the Presidents plan. But the change OF very
few Southern votes in the Senate, which have
been counted for frcc-tradc policy, would
make any action in accord with the President
plan utterly impossible, and that would insure
effective resistance to IL by more than thirty
Democratic Representatives. i'll the House
In presence Of this really weighty event.
frcc-trado journals are entirely at liberty TO
continue gathering the opinions OF those car
net manufacturers who want TO use foreign
wool. and who unlike most Of them, caro-
moro for individual profits than for the pubic
good. They may welcome az joyfully as they
pIcaso the individual declarations OF isolated
Grange officers, who care more just now Tor
the appreciation of the dispenser ol patronage
than for the appreciation Of farmers. They arc
quito at liberty to dcuge readers with the free
trade talk of college professors, who represent
only an opinion which is growing odlouS TO
practical men in Great Britain. but is yet
crystalIizcd in British books which The profess
sors adopt with scrvility. The voice Of great
industries will ere long be heard The cotton
workers Of Fall River arc organizing TO express
their opposition. Tho reduction Of wages in
iron manufacturing establishments, which has
already begun at some points, and the closing